§ 20-520 — SENTENCING

Idaho § 20-520

• Jurisdiction: Idaho
• Title 20: STATE PRISON AND COUNTY JAILS
• Ch. 5: JUVENILE CORRECTIONS ACT

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(1) Upon the entry of an order finding the juvenile offender is within the purview of the act, the court shall then hold a sentencing hearing in the manner prescribed by the Idaho juvenile rules to determine the sentence that will promote accountability, competency development and community protection. Prior to the entry of an order disposing of the case, other than an order of discharge or dismissal, the court may request and, if requested, shall receive a report containing the results of an inquiry into the home environment, past history, competency development, prevention or out-of-home placement services provided, and the social, physical and mental condition of the juvenile offender. The report shall be compiled using tools that screen for human trafficking, risks and needs of the juvenile offender, and any trauma suffered by the juvenile offender and shall include any additional screening deemed appropriate. The court shall not consider or review the report prior to the entry of an order of adjudication. Upon presentation and consideration of the report by the court, the court may proceed to sentence the juvenile offender as follows:
(a) Place the juvenile offender on an informal adjustment of the petition for a period not to exceed three (3) years from the date of the order.
(i) Informal adjustments may be ordered for any case filed under this chapter, upon such terms and conditions as the court may deem just and appropriate under the circumstances, and not be limited by the nature of the charge. Informal adjustments may include but are not limited to:
1. Reprimand of the juvenile offender;
2. Supervision with the probation department;
3. Community service work; and
4. Restitution to the victim.
(ii) The court shall dismiss the case if:
1. An informal adjustment has been granted and the juvenile offender has satisfied the terms or conditions of the informal adjustment;
2. The court is convinced by the showing made that there is no longer cause for continuing the period of informal adjustment; and
3. It is compatible with the public interest.
(iii) If the court, after hearing and notice, finds that a juvenile has violated the informal adjustment, the court may impose any sentence available to the court pursuant to this chapter.
(b) Place the juvenile offender on formal probation for a period not to exceed three (3) years from the date of the order, except the court may place a juvenile offender on formal probation for a period not to exceed the juvenile offender’s twenty-first birthday if the court finds that the juvenile offender has committed a crime of a sexual nature. If a juvenile offender is committed to the Idaho department of juvenile corrections pursuant to paragraph (t) of this subsection, the court may place the juvenile offender on probation from the date of sentencing up to three (3) years past the date of release from custody or the juvenile offender’s twenty-first birthday, whichever occurs first; provided the court shall conduct a review hearing within thirty (30) days following release of the juvenile offender from the department of juvenile corrections in order to determine the conditions and term of such probation;
(c) Sentence the juvenile offender to detention pursuant to this act for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days for each act, omission, or status that is prohibited by the federal, state, local, or municipal law or ordinance by reason of minority only. The sentence shall not be executed unless the act, omission, or status is in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(x) or the court finds that the juvenile offender has violated the court’s decree imposing the sentence as provided in this subsection. If the court, after notice and hearing, finds that a juvenile offender has violated the court’s decree imposing the sentence under circumstances that bring the violation under the valid court order exception of the federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act of 1974, as amended, the court may commit the juvenile offender to detention for the period of detention previously imposed at sentencing;
(d) Commit the juvenile offender to a period of detention, pursuant to this act, for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days for each unlawful or criminal act the juvenile offender is found to have committed or if the unlawful or criminal act would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult;
(e) If the juvenile offender has committed an unlawful or criminal act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, the court may commit the juvenile offender to detention for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days for each unlawful or criminal act;
(f) Whenever a court commits a juvenile offender to a period of detention, the juvenile detention center shall notify the school district where the detention center is located. No juvenile offender who is found to come within the purview of the act for the commission of a status offense shall be sentenced to detention in a jail facility;
(g) Commit the juvenile offender to detention and suspend the sentence on specific probationary conditions;
(h) The court may suspend or restrict the juvenile offender’s driving privileges for such periods of time as the court deems necessary, and the court may take possession of the juvenile offender’s driver’s license. The juvenile offender may request restricted driving privileges during a period of suspension, which the court may allow if the juvenile offender shows by a preponderance of evidence that driving privileges are necessary for his employment or for family health needs;
(i) The court may order that the juvenile offender be examined or treated by a physician, surgeon, psychiatrist, or psychologist or that he receive other special care or that he submit to an alcohol or drug evaluation, if needed, and for such purposes may place the juvenile offender in a hospital or other suitable facility;
(j) The court may order that the county probation office authorize a comprehensive substance abuse assessment of the juvenile offender. After receiving the comprehensive substance abuse assessment, and upon a finding by the court that treatment will provide a cost-effective means of achieving the sentencing goals of accountability, competency development and community protection, the court may order that the juvenile offender receive immediate treatment for substance abuse in keeping with a plan of treatment approved by the court. The initial cost of the assessment and treatment shall be borne by the department of juvenile corrections with funds allocated to the county probation office. The director of the department of juvenile corrections may promulgate rules consistent with this paragraph to establish a schedule of fees to be charged to parents by the county probation office for such services based upon the cost of the services and the ability of parents to pay;
(k) In support of an order under the provisions of this section, the court may make an additional order setting forth reasonable conditions to be complied with by the parents, the juvenile offender, his legal guardian or custodian, or any other person who has been made a party to the proceedings, including, but not limited to, restrictions on visitation by the parents or one (1) parent, restrictions on the juvenile offender’s associates, occupation and other activities, and requirements to be observed by the parents, guardian or custodian;
(l) The court may make any other reasonable order that is in the best interest of the juvenile offender or is required for the protection of the public, except that no person under the age of eighteen (18) years may be committed to jail, prison or a secure facility that does not meet the standards set forth in section 20-518, Idaho Code, unless jurisdiction over the individual is in the process of being waived or has been waived pursuant to section 20-508 or 20-509, Idaho Code. The court may combine several of the above-listed modes of disposition where they are compatible;
(m) An order under the provisions of this section for probation or placement of a juvenile offender with an individual or an agency may provide a schedule for review of the case by the court;
(n) Order the proceeding expanded or altered to include consideration of the cause pursuant to chapter 16, title 16, Idaho Code;
(o) Order the case and all documents and records connected therewith transferred to the magistrate division of the district court for the county where the juvenile offender and/or parents reside if different than the county where the juvenile offender was charged and found to have committed the unlawful or criminal act, for the entry of a dispositional order;
(p) Order such other terms, conditions, care or treatment as appear to the court will best serve the interests of the juvenile offender and the community;
(q) The court shall assess a twenty-dollar ($20.00) detention/probation training academy fee against the juvenile offender for every petition filed where there has been an adjudication that the juvenile offender is within the purview of this chapter. All moneys raised pursuant to this paragraph shall be transmitted by the court for deposit in the juvenile corrections fund, which is created in section 20-542, Idaho Code;
(r) Additionally, the court shall assess a fee of sixty cents (60¢) per hour of community service against the juvenile offender for every petition filed where there has been an adjudication that the juvenile offender is within the purview of this chapter and the court is ordering community service. Such fee is to be remitted by the court to the state insurance fund for purposes of providing worker’s compensation insurance for persons performing community service pursuant to this chapter. However, if a county is self-insured and provides worker’s compensation insurance for persons performing community service pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, then remittance to the state insurance fund is not required;
(s) Additionally, the court may assess a monthly probation supervision fee that shall be an amount not more than the maximum monthly misdemeanor probation supervision fee set forth in section 31-3201D, Idaho Code, per month, or such lesser sum as determined by the administrative judge of the judicial district, against the juvenile offender placed on probation. The amount of the monthly probation supervision fee shall be paid to the clerk of the district court who shall deposit such fee into the county juvenile probation fund, which is hereby created, in each county or, at the option of the board of county commissioners, deposited in the county justice fund to be used for county juvenile probation services. Moneys from this fee may be accumulated from year to year and shall be expended exclusively for county juvenile probation services and related purposes;
(t) Commit the juvenile offender to the legal custody of the department of juvenile corrections for an indeterminate period of time, not to exceed the juvenile offender’s nineteenth birthday, unless the custody review board determines that extended time in custody is necessary to address competency development, accountability, and community protection; provided however, that no juvenile offender shall remain in the custody of the department beyond the juvenile offender’s twenty-first birthday. The department shall adopt rules implementing the custody review board and operations and procedures of such board. Juvenile offenders convicted as adults and placed in the dual custody of the department of juvenile corrections and the state board of correction under section 19-2601A, Idaho Code, are under the retained jurisdiction of the court and are not within the purview of the custody review board;
(u) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a court may not commit a juvenile offender under the age of ten (10) years to a period of detention or to the custody of the department of juvenile corrections for placement in secure confinement.
(2) When an order is entered pursuant to this section, the juvenile offender shall be transported to the facility or program so designated by the court or the department, as applicable, by the sheriff of the county where the juvenile offender resides or is committed, or by an appointed agent. When committing a juvenile offender to the department, or another entity, the court shall at once forward to the department or entity a certified copy of the order of commitment.
(3) Unless the court determines that an order of restitution would be inappropriate or undesirable, it shall order the juvenile offender or his parents or both to pay restitution to or make whole any victim who suffers an economic loss as a result of the juvenile offender’s conduct in accordance with the standards and requirements of sections 19-5304 and 19-5305, Idaho Code. The amount of restitution that may be ordered by the court shall not be subject to the limitations of section 6-210, Idaho Code. Court-ordered restitution shall be paid prior to any other court-ordered payments unless the court specifically orders otherwise. The clerk of the district court, with the approval of the administrative district judge, may use the procedures set forth in section 19-4708, Idaho Code, for the collection of the restitution.
(4) The court may order the juvenile offender’s parents or custodian to pay the charges imposed by community programs ordered by the court for the juvenile offender, or the juvenile offender’s parents or custodian.
(5) Any parent, legal guardian or custodian violating any order of the court entered against the person under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to contempt proceedings under the provisions of chapter 6, title 7, Idaho Code.
(6) The clerk of the district court, with the approval of the administrative district judge, may use the procedures set forth in section 19-4708, Idaho Code, for the collection of other debts owed to the court by the juvenile offender.

Legislative History

[20-520, added 1996, ch. 301, sec. 2, p. 989; am. 1996, ch. 301, sec. 3, p. 992; am. 1996, ch. 359, sec. 2, p. 1209; am. 1997, ch. 76, sec. 1, p. 158; am. 1997, ch. 262, sec. 1, p. 747; am. 1999, ch. 155, sec. 1, p. 431; am. 2000, ch. 329, sec. 1, p. 1106; am. 2000, ch. 466, sec. 1, p. 1444; am. 2001, ch. 15, sec. 1, p. 17; am. 2002, ch. 73, sec. 1, p. 160; am. 2002, ch. 97, sec. 1, p. 265; am. 2002, ch. 309, sec. 1, p. 880; am. 2007, ch. 308, sec. 1, p. 862; am. 2008, ch. 41, sec. 1, p. 96; am. 2009, ch. 102, sec. 3, p. 313; am. 2009, ch. 154, sec. 2, p. 449; am. 2012, ch. 19, sec. 16, p. 54; am. 2012, ch. 257, sec. 6, p. 712; am. 2015, ch. 87, sec. 1, p. 213; am. 2015, ch. 113, sec. 8, p. 291; am. 2019, ch. 219, sec. 2, p. 663; am. 2021, ch. 19, sec. 2, p. 48; am. 2022, ch. 20, sec. 2, p. 42; am. 2024, ch. 249, sec. 1, p. 881.]